IÂ’ve often wondered what I would do if gunfire broke out at my school. IÂ’d like to think that IÂ’d place myself between the shooter and my students. IÂ’d like to think I would act in a way that would keep my kids safe. But I donÂ’t know that I would be as cool as this lady.

A gym teacher is being hailed as a hero for risking her life to persuade a 14-year-old student to drop his gun after he allegedly wounded two eighth graders.

The teacher at Pine Middle School heard three shots just before 9 a.m. and rushed out of a room to find the alleged shooter, James Scott Newman, standing outside the school cafeteria.

"She empathized with him, tried to be understanding and de-escalated the situation. She was successful in having him place his gun on the ground which is pretty amazing," Reno police Lt. Ron Donnelly told KKOH Radio.

After he dropped the gun, the teacher "bear hugged" Newman until additional staff arrived on scene, Donnelly said. "It was an heroic job done by the school teacher," he said.

Newman was booked into the Washoe County Jail as an adult on a charge of attempted murder, Donnelly said. He also was charged with use of a deadly weapon and use of a firearm by a minor.

Two students were injured during the shootings. One boy was shot in the upper arm and chest and was treated and released from a hospital. A girl received a superficial wound to the leg from shrapnel and was treated at the scene.

Investigators were withholding the names of the victims - both eighth graders.

Steve Mulvenon, spokesman for the Washoe County School District, said the teacher who intervened had requested that her name not be released.

"She didn't want any publicity," he said.

Wow! I think I can guess who will be teacher of the year.

Posted by: Greg at 10:08 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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